The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-10-22
A pousLE MIND.


and SPEAK simultaneously.
"How long have you lived here9"
The lawyer was taking the deposit
tion of witness in his Office in the
Mills Building, New York. The pencil
Of the stenographer was moving rapidly
over his paper, leaving behind 1t
string of pothooks and other absurd
symbols of speech.
"You say that you have known tho
defendant for the past ten yearsP Now.
1 want to ask you whether at any time
during that period you ever noticed
any symptom of insanity in his be-
haviorP" continued the lawyer.
At the instant the lawyer began his
query the stenographer turned to the
reporter, who was seated by his side at
the table, and, without stopping his
writing for second, whispered: "Wait
moment and I'll be through. This
won't last much longer" @
The reporter looked anxiously at the
notes, expecting to see the pencil stop
its travels, or at least at the end of the
questions, retrace its steps to revive
some phrases Incorrectly transcribed.
But it made no such break. When the
lawyer ended his inquiry the pencil
stopped.
snow, SIR" continued the lawyer,
''you may tell me whether you wero
well enough acquainted with the de-
fendant to know whether he showed any
Uaaknesc of mind M. MT p''
Before the stenographer had COM
pleted the second line of his report he
again whispered to the reporter not to
be in hurry, and, as before, concluded
his work without a particle of apparent
interruption. This was the last ques-
ton, and after the papers were gathered
together and the witness had l+ft the
Office, the reporter asked the steno-
grapher whether he had written cor
rectly all that was said verbatim or had
only epitomized what had been spoken.
II wrote exactly what was said. Why
do you askp"
"Can you read it without difficulty?"
"Of course can, otherwise l should
not be here; but why do you ask?''
II didn't see how you could write
down what was being spoken and speak
to me upon another subject at the same
time"
"That is easy enough to do,' respond
ed the stenographer with laugh,
"when you only know how and prac-
tice long enough. Shorthand writing
is very much like playing the piano or
repeating something from memory. 1t
is mechanical. 1 found years ago when
was reporting in Western court, that
it was extremely useful to be able to
hear and think of other things trans.
spring in the courtroom than the evil
dence itself. then began practising
SO that 1 could train myself to do two
separate things at the same time
would mentally make note of every
thing occurring around me and keer
on with my writing. At first l would
make a mistake or two, but gradually
l got SO that could hear every thing
| that was said, and 1 understood it, too
Notwithstanding the fact that my pen
Gil was moving all the time"
! II should think that when you began
to speak it would have thrown you of
your track?"
ut did at first. 1 learned that b,
committing to memory some poem and
repeating it while l was reporting, un.
til at last could carry on converse
ton on almost any subject and write
from dictation upon one entirely differ.
ent. It's very useful accomplishment
but wouldn't advise you to learn i
unless you intend to become n profes
sional stenographer, and l wouldn't ad
wise that unless you have nothing better
to do than to break stones in the street.
N. Y. Post.